HC Deb 02 July 1999 vol 334 cc294-5W
Mr. Ottaway

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings have been held by the Service Families Task Force Ministerial Working Group. [89026]

Mr. Doug Henderson

[holding answer 29 June 1999]: There has been one meeting of the Ministerial Group thus far. I wrote to my colleagues on the Ministerial Group on 1 June 1999 reviewing progress to date and giving notice of the next meeting, which I will be chairing shortly.

Mr. Ottaway

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings of the Families Forum have taken place; and on how many occasions the Forum is scheduled to meet in the next year. [89025]

Mr. Doug Henderson

[holding answer 29 June 1999]: I chair the Families Forum which is attended by the Chairs of the three Service Families Associations. The first meeting of the Families Forum took place on the 22 April 1999. This was the day after the Charter of Royal Navy and Royal Marines Families Association was signed. It is anticipated that the Forum will meet about twice a year and the next meeting is planned for the autumn.

In between meetings of the Families Forum, the Chairs of the Service Families Associations have regular contact with my officials. They were last briefed on the progress of the Task Force on 16 June 1999.

Mr. Ottaway

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on the Service Families Task Force; and what is the planned expenditure for each of the next five years. [88702]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The Service Families Task Force was created to address those problems, caused by the mobility of Service families, outside the direct control of the MOD. These are largely concerned with access to education, health and employment services which can be resolved only through joint action with other Government Departments.

There have been no new or additional costs to the Departmental budget caused by the creation of the Service Families Task Force. No additional expenditure is planned. The provision of support to the Task Force has fallen within the normal work of the Department.